Stage favourites are sprinters Vanderbiest Van Stayen Meyer
174 riders are ready to tackle today’s 184 kilometers long stage. The temperature must be to the liking of most riders, being 32 degrees hot. There’s no wind to speak about.
There are a lot of attacking before the first categorized climb, which is a third category climb. 190 kilometers from the finishing line and 3500 meters from the top of the climb Caruso Geslin
have got a gap, but other riders are trying to bridge, with Gilanipoor
Ziegler Bintang
being closest.
Caruso
proves the strongest puncheur of the two in front, and is first to climb the third category climb, which gives him six mountain points. His gap back to the peloton two minutes, with Geslin
following just behind.
170 kilometers to go, and we finally have what looks like the breakaway of the day. It’s Albasini Geslin Caruso Bagdonas Gilanipoor
being the five riders to enjoy some time up front. Their gap is 3’40 back to the peloton.
Geslin
wins the first intermediate sprint 144 kilometers away from home, with the breakaway’s gap being up to 5’30.
Back in the peloton it’s quite surprisingly Wikipedia Aker-MOT
working at the front despite today being a stage for the sprinters. Are they planning something for their leaders Phinney Spilak?
They’re going easy though, as the gap has widened to 7’15 127 kilometers from the finishing line.
80 kilometers to go and it’s time for the second intermediate sprint of the day. Caruso
wins it ahead of Albasini
Their gap back to the peloton has started to shrink, as they’re now 5’15 ahead.
Kreuziger Rabon
lead the peloton on the final categorized climb of the day. It contains sections being about 8 percent steep, meaning it could be a challenge for some of the sprinters in the peloton. They’re controlling the breakaway nicely, being 1’45 behind 38 kilometers away from home.
The breakaway splits on the climb, and it’s Albasini Caruso
being strongest with Albasini taking maximum mountain points. Though, it only means he’ll be closer to Caruso, who will wear the polkadot tomorrow!
Difficulties for Meyer!
The Australian sprinter had a hard time on that hill, and several of his team mates have dropped back to try to help him back up to the peloton. Though, it will be a tough task, being 2’30 behind the head of the bunch already.
31 kilometers are left to race.
15 kilometers to go, and rain has started to fall! That makes the final of this stage even more dangerous. Caruso Albasini
hold a lead of 41 seconds back to the chasing bunch. It looks though for them, but don’t forget the final 15 kilometers are mostly descending!
But no, today was definitely not a breakaway’s day! Machado
makes the catch for his sprinter Vanderbiest
It’s Pearl Adidas Simply Red Bull
keeping the pace high in the peloton, and you can also see
Van Stayen Simplred
Vanderbiest
on each side of the head of the bunch.
11 kilometers to go.
Pearl Adidas is the only team able to put up a lead out train 4.100 meters from the finishing line. It’s Walker Leezer Vanderbiest Van Stayen Kocjan Caethoven
on that train, with Dumoulin Phinney Reynès
wanting to get on that train. Interesting to see Phinney risking everything in this sprint preparation, could he steal the yellow jersey on a flat stage!?
Leezer
opens up the sprint 2800 meters away from home, with Vanderbiest
Van Stayen
perfectly positioned behind.
Coppel Milka
comes flying to the front with 1400 meters left! It forces Vanderbiest
to launch his sprint with Van Stayen Dumoulin Caethoven
following him.
Van Stayen
looks super strong and sprints past a fading Vanderbiest
with ease 800 meters from the finishing line! But watch out, Phinney
has launched has well from the deep, and he’s holding the fastest bike!
300 meters to go and Van Stayen
has no opposition up front! He looks safe for the stage win, with Dumoulin Reynès Phinney
aiming at the podium spots.
Van Stayen
wins it! He placed himself perfectly for the sprint, and certainly delivers!
Reynès
takes a pleasing second place for the Spanish team with Dumoulin
following in third, just ahead of Phinney Valverde
Spilak
sprints home in sixth, followed by Caethoven Van Den Broeck Vanderbiest
Big disappointment from Vanderbiest after his team’s perfect lead out, but he simply didn’t have the legs today.
There’s a good gap behind the first 78 riders, with Krasnoperov
being the only rider with GC ambition finding himself in danger of losing valuable time. But luckily for him, no gap is noticed by the time keepers.
Stage results
1
Michael Van Stayen
Simply Red Bull
5h16'18
2
Vicente Reynès
Santander
s.t.
3
Samuel Dumoulin
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
4
Taylor Phinney
Wikipedia
s.t.
5
Alejandro Valverde
Koenigsegg
s.t.
6
Simon Spilak
Aker - MOT
s.t.
7
Steven Caethoven
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
8
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
9
Romain Vanderbiest
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
10
Mauro Facci
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
11
Petar Panayotov
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
12
Jerome Coppel
Milka - AVG
s.t.
13
Daniel Martin
Pendleton's
s.t.
14
Kleber Silva
Pendleton's
s.t.
15
Alexandre Shushemoin
Aker - MOT
s.t.
16
Tom Leezer
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
17
Romain Sicard
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
18
Jure Kocjan
Team Bacardi
s.t.
19
Martin Hacecký
Team B&O
s.t.
20
Ioannis Tamouridis
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
21
Matteo Rabottini
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
22
Maciej Bodnar
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
23
Rafael Valls
Santander
s.t.
24
Johannes Heider
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
25
Alexandre Aulas
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
26
David De la Fuente
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
27
Damiano Caruso
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
28
Nico Keinath
Team B&O
s.t.
29
Ethan Weiss
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
30
Kevin Seeldraeyers
Team Bintang
s.t.
31
Dominique Nerz
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
32
Ran Margaliot
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
33
Amaël Moinard
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
34
Thibaut Pinot
Wikipedia
s.t.
35
Ryan Eastman
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
36
Arnold Jeannesson
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
